Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Mar 29: The Itanagar zoo might face shortage of feed and fodder for its animals if the supply is disrupted in view of the nationwide lockdown.
“The animal food stock currently available in the zoo will last for a week only,” said Zoo Curator Raya Flago.
“Buffalo and cattle meat is fed to tigers while mutton, chicken, etc, are given to the leopards, besides nutrients to the birds,” he said.
There are five tigers and three leopards in the zoo. A fully-grown tiger consumes 10 kgs of meat in one day, while a leopard consumes 7 kgs of meat per day, he said.
While the zoo is closed to visitors, disinfection of the zoo is carried out regularly, Flago said.
When contacted, PCCF Ajay Saxena said he would look into the matter.
The feed and fodder for the zoo are supplied by contractors, and an agreement is made in this regard for a period of one year, said DCWLW Umesh Kumar.
Informing that the forest department has been exempted from the purview of the nationwide lockdown after an amendment, Kumar said the zoo animals should not starve because of the lockdown.
